Becoming an Inside Sales Mentor
It has been almost one year since I started as a Business Development Representative at AG Salesworks and I have learned so much about the software and technology industry, sales, and communicating with people at all the various levels of an organization. My next endeavor has been in the works without me even realizing it: I’m becoming somewhat of a mentor. It’s not in my title, or written on my business card, and it’s not something I think about; but as someone who has been in this role for eleven months, I have become someone that new BDRs can come to with questions.
Recently I joined the training team, taking on small responsibilities for now, and will eventually add on more training to help new hires. It gives me a sense of pride when people can gain something from listening in on my calls or listening to a particular anecdote of a situation that went really well. Being able to offer advice and ideas that helps someone become comfortable in this role makes this a great environment for learning and growing. I am happy to be part of an organization that has an open-door policy, not only for directors and managers, but all BDRs, no matter how long someone has been part of the company. I feel very comfortable walking over to any of my peers and directors to ask their opinion on a situation, knowing that everyone has gone through something similar and can offer advice on how to handle it.
You learn something new every day working in an inside sales environment. Different situations arise with new projects, clients, and prospects. There is always a chance to learn something, and I find that no matter how long you’ve been here, you can teach something to your peers as well as learn something. You just have to be open and willing to listen.
The first time I was asked to have someone shadow my calls, I was nervous that I would not be a good mentor/teacher for the hour or so that I was training, but soon realized that every call is an opportunity to help someone else learn, whether it’s an opportunity passed over, a voice mail, or a conversation with an administrator. It is always helpful to listen to someone who has been on a project for awhile to see how they handle VPs versus managers, and how they make their way through administrators and secretaries to find the most appropriate prospect. Even after being at AG Salesworks for almost one year, I know I have a lot more to learn, and a lot more to offer.
How do you and your senior BDRs help train new hires?